What is a good "Multi Tool" for maintaining an XP?

[Latitude]

We carry the Fiberfix spoke kits on trips starting right after I broke a spoke on an out of town trip. Something about closing the barn door...

Sierratim, what happens to a wheel when you break a spoke?

 

[Sierratim]

Sierratim, what happens to a wheel when you break a spoke?

It gets out of true right away developing a very noticeable wobble within a short distance. With rim brakes, the bike becomes unrideable due to the brakes rubbing. You can disconnect the brake arms for clearance, but now you're down to one brake; not good if you're left with just the front brake. If a spoke brakes on the rotor side of a bike with disc brakes the same thing happens and can't be easily rectified as with rim brakes.

My spoke broke on the rear wheel about 15 miles from the car. Not wanting to ride back with just the front brakes we Googled our options. Luckily we were on a route with bike-friendly shuttle bus service so we hitched a ride back to our car. They even called ahead to hold the shuttle we needed to connect with. Shorter ride then we'd planned, but an adventure!

 

[Latitude]

It gets out of true right away developing a very noticeable wobble within a short distance. With rim brakes, the bike becomes unrideable due to the brakes rubbing. You can disconnect the brake arms for clearance, but now you're down to one brake; not good if you're left with just the front brake. If a spoke brakes on the rotor side of a bike with disc brakes the same thing happens and can't be easily rectified as with rim brakes.

My spoke broke on the rear wheel about 15 miles from the car. Not wanting to ride back with just the front brakes we Googled our options. Luckily we were on a route with bike-friendly shuttle bus service so we hitched a ride back to our car. They even called ahead to hold the shuttle we needed to connect with. Shorter ride then we'd planned, but an adventure!

Thanks! I will plan to avoid that.

 

[Sierratim]

Thanks! I will plan to avoid that.

The lesson I learned was to check my spoke tension at least annually or have the LBS do it. Apparently loose spokes are the primary cause of breaks. As a loose spoke flexes more than intended it puts more strain on the 90deg bend at the spoke head. That's where mine broke.

 

[EVBiker]

If you’re riding out in the bushes or the woods, or touring, don’t forget a Fiberfix spoke kit. And as mentioned earlier, a Leatherman or similar for the pliers. It can be murder trying to pull a small wire out of a tire without them.

Most of my riding is close to civilization, so I'm really looking for a kit that I can mostly keep at home though I'd like it to be compact.

So it seems like the tool I posted originally addresses my basic maintenance needs and being able to install any accessories I buy (seatpost, handlebar extension,tighten spokes, etc.,). Based on the tools included in the multi tool below, are there any additional tools I might need? If I have a flat tire, I think I'm just going to let my LBS deal with it and just get a compact tire inflator to keep handy to hopefully help me limp back home.

Amazon.com

Style: M19:

• Bike maintenance tool comes with 19 tools for common road and trail-side repairs, all encased in lightweight aluminum hard case
• Seven Hex wrenches, four spoke wrenches, Phillips and flathead, t-25 driver, universal chain tool
• 175 gram weight without included tool flask and 3.5-Inch length
• 6061-T6 aluminum frame, 6150 high tensile steel tools, and stainless steel and Polymer carrying case

 

[Latitude]

Most of my riding is close to civilization, so I'm really looking for a kit that I can mostly keep at home though I'd like it to be compact.

So it seems like the tool I posted originally addresses my basic maintenance needs and being able to install any accessories I buy (seatpost, handlebar extension,tighten spokes, etc.,). Based on the tools included in the multi tool below, are there any additional tools I might need? If I have a flat tire, I think I'm just going to let my LBS deal with it and just get a compact tire inflator to keep handy to hopefully help me limp back home.

Amazon.com

Style: M19:

• Bike maintenance tool comes with 19 tools for common road and trail-side repairs, all encased in lightweight aluminum hard case
• Seven Hex wrenches, four spoke wrenches, Phillips and flathead, t-25 driver, universal chain tool
• 175 gram weight without included tool flask and 3.5-Inch length
• 6061-T6 aluminum frame, 6150 high tensile steel tools, and stainless steel and Polymer carrying case

If you have a flat tire, a pump won’t likely help you limp back home. Unless you repair/replace the tube I’m afraid. Stan’s or slime might let you do that though.

 

[Alaskan]

Jackknife style multi tools are awkward at best when it comes to making repairs and adjustments on a bike. They are better than nothing but often it is difficult to insert and turn them in the tight quarters of a bike. It is far easier, quicker and effective to use a kit with a small ratchet, extension and interchangeable bits such as the Topeak DX (the DX+ includes the chain tool).

 

[Alaskan]

If you have a flat tire, a pump won’t likely help you limp back home. Unless you repair/replace the tube I’m afraid.

A patch kit along with a cO2 inflator with a couple of larger cartridges, along with a tool kit and a couple of tire levers in a small under saddle bag will get you home in most circumstances. The smaller cartridges are not sufficient for larger diameter ebike tires. I like the spoke repair kit...new one on me. Thanks for posting on that one @Saratoga Dave. If you use cO2, when you get home, let it out of the tire and replace it with air. CO2 is thinner than air and will leak out of the tire more readily.

 

[EVBiker]

A patch kit along with a cO2 inflator with a couple of larger cartridges, along with a tool kit and a couple of tire levers in a small under saddle bag will get you home in most circumstances. The smaller cartridges are not sufficient for larger diameter ebike tires. I like the spoke repair kit...new one on me. Thanks for posting on that one @Saratoga Dave. If you use cO2, when you get home, let it out of the tire and replace it with air. CO2 is thinner than air and will leak out of the tire more readily.

So maybe I should give up my idea for a multitool and just buy the individual tools I need so I can buy quality tools...

Could someone post a list of bike tools someone with a Lectric XP might need and I'll then buy the tools separately.

I wish Lectric sold a tool kit with everything you need!

 

[Sierratim]

Most of my riding is close to civilization, so I'm really looking for a kit that I can mostly keep at home though I'd like it to be compact.

So it seems like the tool I posted originally addresses my basic maintenance needs and being able to install any accessories I buy (seatpost, handlebar extension,tighten spokes, etc.,). Based on the tools included in the multi tool below, are there any additional tools I might need? If I have a flat tire, I think I'm just going to let my LBS deal with it and just get a compact tire inflator to keep handy to hopefully help me limp back home.

Amazon.com

Style: M19:

• Bike maintenance tool comes with 19 tools for common road and trail-side repairs, all encased in lightweight aluminum hard case
• Seven Hex wrenches, four spoke wrenches, Phillips and flathead, t-25 driver, universal chain tool
• 175 gram weight without included tool flask and 3.5-Inch length
• 6061-T6 aluminum frame, 6150 high tensile steel tools, and stainless steel and Polymer carrying case

The Crankbrothers tool is a solid choice for a tool to have with you on your rides. By MTBing sons carry it.

Will you need additional tools? It all depends on how much of your own bike maintenance you want to do. If you start doing more work you'll find the small folding bike tool to be too limiting and hard to use. For me, drivetrain maintenance is top priority. This requires a way clean and lubricate the chain. I use a chain scrubber and brushes for this with a good quality chain lube. I also have T-handle hex wrenches with a ball end for those tight and hard to reach fasteners. A torque wrecnch is a good idea as most tend to over tighten small fasteners and under tighten larger ones, etc, etc. After 20+ years of bike maintenance I've got a whole shop of tools...

As to carrying a 'compact inflator' for flats, I have to agree with @Latitude , it won't get you very far. Some prefer calling AAA, or a friend/spouse. I do agree with @Alaskan re a flat kit. I carry a flat fix it kit with a spare tube, tire levers, patch kit, tire boot, mini-pump, CO2 inflator, and cleanup wipes. Several of my favorite rides are out of cell range, so it's up to me to get my own *s* home! My usual practice is to swap tubes on the trail and use the CO2 inflator to get back to riding ASAP. I patch the tube back home and rotate it onto the flat kit as the next spare. I did have a blowout a few months ago that ruined the tube, no chance for a patch with the long split. Glad I had a spare!

 

[Sierratim]

So maybe I should give up my idea for a multitool and just buy the individual tools I need so I can buy quality tools...

Could someone post a list of bike tools someone with a Lectric XP might need and I'll then buy the tools separately.

I wish Lectric sold a tool kit with everything you need!

A small bike mini-tool that you carry on each ride is a good idea.

For your home shop it's usually best to start with a bike bit tool kit rather than buying individual tools. Park Tool and Pedro offer a good selection, but they are more pricey. Asian brands offer a wide selection but sometimes the quality is lacking. Our bike shop is based on a Park Tool kit that we've added to over the years.

 

[tomjasz]

A small bike mini-tool that you carry on each ride is a good idea.

My most used tool away from the shop. Topeak Mini 9.

 

[PaleBlueDot]

what i did was make a list and get the individual tools. for instance 18mm for the rear tire isint a common size when you go to buy a set of metric wrenches at the big stores. you can get individual wrenches on Amazon/Ebay. also things like the blue park spoke tool a patch kit and pump. i dont think it takes up much more space than the tools in those kits and they arent the best quality anyway. in the end if the repair was for me a bad one i think i would just call for a ride so i could work on the bike at my home.

 

[Tars Tarkas]

So maybe I should give up my idea for a multitool and just buy the individual tools I need so I can buy quality tools...

Could someone post a list of bike tools someone with a Lectric XP might need and I'll then buy the tools separately.

I wish Lectric sold a tool kit with everything you need!

A multi-tool is a tool you take with you or use because you don't have anything else. Just get one you like. I suppose it depends on your attitude and ability, but for anyone who piddles with bikes, or any other mechanical endeavor, buying tools is a lifetime project that is never complete. Forget about getting one thing and being done.

There are already many forum threads about what tools people buy and which ones they take with them. Use the forum search feature. Also, think about what you might need on the road/trail. To me, that means fixing a flat. Most other trail issues are adjustments that can probably wait. And if you think your LBS is the way to fix a tire, think about how far you're going to have to walk your bike to get it to a vehicle and how much time is involved in that or in waiting for AAA or Uber or your spouse or whoever to come get you. You can have your tire fixed and be back in the saddle faster and cheaper in most cases if you just fix it yourself. If fixing a tire intimidates you, I strongly recommend you get someone to go through the motions with you on your bike. It is not that big a deal. Really. Maybe your LBS can show you or maybe they have classes. Or watch a couple of YouTube videos.

Flats are almost an inevitability with bike riding. Not letting them put an awkward end to your ride makes biking that much more fun and satisfying.

TT

 

[Art Deco]

I had never heard of Fiberfix... looked it up. Great idea!

What Latitude said. Me too. Thanks.

 

[Alaskan]

A multi-tool is a tool you take with you or use because you don't have anything else. Just get one you like. I suppose it depends on your attitude and ability, but for anyone who piddles with bikes, or any other mechanical endeavor, buying tools is a lifetime project that is never complete. Forget about getting one thing and being done.

There are already many forum threads about what tools people buy and which ones they take with them. Use the forum search feature. Also, think about what you might need on the road/trail. To me, that means fixing a flat. Most other trail issues are adjustments that can probably wait. And if you think your LBS is the way to fix a tire, think about how far you're going to have to walk your bike to get it to a vehicle and how much time is involved in that or in waiting for AAA or Uber or your spouse or whoever to come get you. You can have your tire fixed and be back in the saddle faster and cheaper in most cases if you just fix it yourself. If fixing a tire intimidates you, I strongly recommend you get someone to go through the motions with you on your bike. It is not that big a deal. Really. Maybe your LBS can show you or maybe they have classes. Or watch a couple of YouTube videos.

Flats are almost an inevitability with bike riding. Not letting them put an awkward end to your ride makes biking that much more fun and satisfying.

TT

Solid advice here and well stated.

 

[EVBiker]

what i did was make a list and get the individual tools. for instance 18mm for the rear tire isint a common size when you go to buy a set of metric wrenches at the big stores. you can get individual wrenches on Amazon/Ebay. also things like the blue park spoke tool a patch kit and pump. i dont think it takes up much more space than the tools in those kits and they arent the best quality anyway. in the end if the repair was for me a bad one i think i would just call for a ride so i could work on the bike at my home.

Could you share the list you made?

 

[EVBiker]

A multi-tool is a tool you take with you or use because you don't have anything else. Just get one you like. I suppose it depends on your attitude and ability, but for anyone who piddles with bikes, or any other mechanical endeavor, buying tools is a lifetime project that is never complete. Forget about getting one thing and being done.

There are already many forum threads about what tools people buy and which ones they take with them. Use the forum search feature. Also, think about what you might need on the road/trail. To me, that means fixing a flat. Most other trail issues are adjustments that can probably wait. And if you think your LBS is the way to fix a tire, think about how far you're going to have to walk your bike to get it to a vehicle and how much time is involved in that or in waiting for AAA or Uber or your spouse or whoever to come get you. You can have your tire fixed and be back in the saddle faster and cheaper in most cases if you just fix it yourself. If fixing a tire intimidates you, I strongly recommend you get someone to go through the motions with you on your bike. It is not that big a deal. Really. Maybe your LBS can show you or maybe they have classes. Or watch a couple of YouTube videos.

Flats are almost an inevitability with bike riding. Not letting them put an awkward end to your ride makes biking that much more fun and satisfying.

TT

Thanks for the advice! My plan was to push the bike to a location where I can get to a road and call a Uber to a LBS but you are right, I should look up how to fix a flat. The electric part intimidates me but perhaps I can fix a flat without taking the wheel off...

 

[ki11a]

Thanks for the advice! My plan was to push the bike to a location where I can get to a road and call a Uber to a LBS but you are right, I should look up how to fix a flat. The electric part intimidates me but perhaps I can fix a flat without taking the wheel off...

It depends what size bike tire/inner tube you have...They actually have these new Huffy Quick Change Inner tubes that allow you to change the inner tube without taking off the tire.

I wish they made them in my tire size

 

[EVBiker]

It depends what size bike tire/inner tube you have...They actually have these new Huffy Quick Change Inner tubes that allow you to change the inner tube without taking off the tire.

I wish they made them in my tire size

Whatever the XP Step Through comes with. Can I get tools to fix a flat in an XP Step Through without taking the wheel off?

With my previous non electric bikes, I could let the air own. Use a tire tool to slid out the tire and then pull the inner tube out and look for a hole to patch. Is it similar with an XP step Through?